Scan barcode
quercus707's review against another edition
4.0
I'm going to defer to Nietzsche for a pithy statement of the theme of this retelling of King Lear: "The consequences of our actions take hold of us, despite our contention that meanwhile we have improved."
This is a brilliant, perfectly tragic story. Yeah, there are a bunch of bad people, and a bunch of bad things happen, not just to the bad ones. But this story stays so firmly centered on Dunbar, himself, as the cause and the reason for all that befalls him and his family. He lives in a world he's created. He has formed his two older daughters into the weapons that will stab him in the back. He deserves what he gets from them. He *doesn't* deserve the devotion and selflessness of his younger daughter and his chief counsel. He gets them anyway, because life isn't always fair, and they lead him to a great epiphany about the life he's lived, and a great and noble contention to improve . . .but it's all too little too late.
But. But you want him to succeed, and to have a chance at the happiness he doesn't deserve. It's like the end of Romeo and Juliet, when you find yourself shouting, "No, don't drink the poison! She's alive!" and you hope that this time, miraculously, Juliet will open her eyes just a moment sooner and that this time they will get their happy ending.
Edward St. Aubyn (with a little help from Shakespeare) has written a perfect tragedy. You know things will end, must end, the way they do. It's Right. But you wish so deeply that it would go a different way, that they'd get that second chance . . . .
This is a brilliant, perfectly tragic story. Yeah, there are a bunch of bad people, and a bunch of bad things happen, not just to the bad ones. But this story stays so firmly centered on Dunbar, himself, as the cause and the reason for all that befalls him and his family. He lives in a world he's created. He has formed his two older daughters into the weapons that will stab him in the back. He deserves what he gets from them. He *doesn't* deserve the devotion and selflessness of his younger daughter and his chief counsel. He gets them anyway, because life isn't always fair, and they lead him to a great epiphany about the life he's lived, and a great and noble contention to improve . . .but it's all too little too late.
But. But you want him to succeed, and to have a chance at the happiness he doesn't deserve. It's like the end of Romeo and Juliet, when you find yourself shouting, "No, don't drink the poison! She's alive!" and you hope that this time, miraculously, Juliet will open her eyes just a moment sooner and that this time they will get their happy ending.
Edward St. Aubyn (with a little help from Shakespeare) has written a perfect tragedy. You know things will end, must end, the way they do. It's Right. But you wish so deeply that it would go a different way, that they'd get that second chance . . . .
maxschuman's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mhoffrob's review against another edition
3.0
While I have enjoyed some of the Hogarth Shakespeare retelling series, I have my issues with retellings in general. I think knowing the general outcome just makes their reading less enjoyable to me. Dunbar, however, was a little more surprising as a King Lear reboot. I enjoyed the present day media empire setting, and the recasting of the main and peripheral characters as a Media Mogul / Patriarch and his daughters, their body guards and doctors. Edward St Aubyn's prose is dense and somewhat lyrical, if a little over done at times.
I would recommend this to fans of the Hogarth Shakespeare Series, readers of literary contemporary fiction.
I would recommend this to fans of the Hogarth Shakespeare Series, readers of literary contemporary fiction.
chirson's review against another edition
3.0
St. Aubyn is a great stylist and his command of language is awe-inspiring, but on other levels, this book felt flat and uninspired. The plot fizzles out, the conclusion, determined by the play, does not so much reverberate as just happen. Compared to Melrose, quite disappointing.
nglofile's review against another edition
4.0
Though more sardonic in tone, Dunbar succeeds as an adroit re-imagining of King Lear.
Many key characters have their direct parallels, as is appropriate, and other roles are combined, demoted, or pulled into more prominence in order to serve the contemporary setting. The Fool especially is well cast as an aging, drunk, ridiculous yet incisive comedian also living in the facility in which Dunbar is committed.
The strength of this work is the skill of internal monologue, especially those of Dunbar. The sins of his past are not minimized, and his coming to terms with the consequences provide frame not only for self-realization but also believable, evocative expression. That truth is revealed in the context of delusion increases its power, and the prose in these passages plays into a twisted beauty.
The elder sisters are caricatured in their evil, and the sexual angles played into too-easy cliché. However, slight missteps such as this are more than compensated for by stronger choices, such as depicting a virtual (and strangely moving) blinding of Dunbar rather than a literal one.
One of the stronger entries of the Hogarth Shakespeare series, and one that holds up both on its own merits and as companion to its inspiration.
Many key characters have their direct parallels, as is appropriate, and other roles are combined, demoted, or pulled into more prominence in order to serve the contemporary setting. The Fool especially is well cast as an aging, drunk, ridiculous yet incisive comedian also living in the facility in which Dunbar is committed.
The strength of this work is the skill of internal monologue, especially those of Dunbar. The sins of his past are not minimized, and his coming to terms with the consequences provide frame not only for self-realization but also believable, evocative expression. That truth is revealed in the context of delusion increases its power, and the prose in these passages plays into a twisted beauty.
The elder sisters are caricatured in their evil, and the sexual angles played into too-easy cliché. However, slight missteps such as this are more than compensated for by stronger choices, such as depicting a virtual (and strangely moving) blinding of Dunbar rather than a literal one.
One of the stronger entries of the Hogarth Shakespeare series, and one that holds up both on its own merits and as companion to its inspiration.
ichirofakename's review against another edition
2.0
Clever, but so what. Skip it.
If you haven't memorized Lear you might want to read it (again) before this book.
I wish I had made a chart mapping the characters across, as the parallels are not obvious and the names are changed. Except that it wouldn't have added much.
If you haven't memorized Lear you might want to read it (again) before this book.
I wish I had made a chart mapping the characters across, as the parallels are not obvious and the names are changed. Except that it wouldn't have added much.
ctiner7's review against another edition
3.0
I read and reviewed this book for http://www.bloggingforbooks.com
I was very excited to read and review this book. I love Shakespeare and was looking forward to this spin on a Shakespeare character. However, it really wasn't what I expected.
First, the book is set in a more modern age to fit into today a bit better. However, that being said, the language was kept at a difficult level, much like Shakespeare's work. This made it difficult for me. There were words I felt just didn't fit in where they were placed and it just made it a very difficult read.
Second, there was not enough time spent on characters. There is a story in there, but since you never get a chance to know any of the main characters very well, it's hard to relate to. One of the things that is most important in a book is being able to block out the world around you and enter the world that the author has created. It was impossible to do in this book. I didn't once feel an emotion towards any of the characters, and the story was just OK.
Would I recommend this book to other readers? Yes, but with the understanding that it is not as deep as it could have been. I would not "highly" recommend, but would recommend it as a book that you should read once.
Now, about the cover design. The cover is perfect, and the book is made sturdy and with thick paper. It was not made cheaply, and it does not feel cheap in your hands. The only thing that could have made it better is a story that was easier to get into and relate to.
I was very excited to read and review this book. I love Shakespeare and was looking forward to this spin on a Shakespeare character. However, it really wasn't what I expected.
First, the book is set in a more modern age to fit into today a bit better. However, that being said, the language was kept at a difficult level, much like Shakespeare's work. This made it difficult for me. There were words I felt just didn't fit in where they were placed and it just made it a very difficult read.
Second, there was not enough time spent on characters. There is a story in there, but since you never get a chance to know any of the main characters very well, it's hard to relate to. One of the things that is most important in a book is being able to block out the world around you and enter the world that the author has created. It was impossible to do in this book. I didn't once feel an emotion towards any of the characters, and the story was just OK.
Would I recommend this book to other readers? Yes, but with the understanding that it is not as deep as it could have been. I would not "highly" recommend, but would recommend it as a book that you should read once.
Now, about the cover design. The cover is perfect, and the book is made sturdy and with thick paper. It was not made cheaply, and it does not feel cheap in your hands. The only thing that could have made it better is a story that was easier to get into and relate to.
christynhoover's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bericson13's review against another edition
2.0
A lot of this was dense and hard to get through. I loved the idea behind the retelling and for the most part, it worked really well. I just couldn't get past the density of it.